to sell or not to sell

[Sags_Deer]

your opionions on this one please. i have this lovely 16.3 hanoverian with excellent bloodlines, purchased for dressage he is now 8 had him nearly 2 years. trouble is he is great to have around and i have just done my first season doing affialiated at novice with scores 60 - 65% but not sure he will go higher, he finds collecting hard, i had hopes to go higher as my old horse went to elementary. i know these things take time etc and to start again is going into the unknown. i also have probs with his saddle and looks like he needs another one as he has changed shape so much since i got him his new one earlier this year. am busy doing raised pole work etc to help him strenghen behind more to help with collection and trying to decide what to do about the saddle. any comments please. thanks

 

[KatB]

I don't see how needing a new saddle would be connected to whether you would sell him or not?! ALso if saddle doesnt fit, could be causing the probs with collection. IMO, if you want to go to Elemetary, I would stick with him. Any horse is capable of going to elementary with correct training, and if he is getting decent % at Novice i'm sure he will cope fine. Get his saddle sorted though, if he is tight through his back, he will not work correctly.

 

[Tierra]

I agree with Kat. Most horses, correctly schooled, should have the ability to go to BD elementary level. Your novice scores arent bad either.

Why do you think he wont go further? You say he struggles to collect but could this not just be a schooling issue? Do you have a trainer and if so, whats their thoughts on the matter?

 

[Sags_Deer]

im getting various ideas from different trainers!! so getting confused with that one existing one has had me slowing him down so that he has time to work through his back and swing more which is certainly different to most that say ride forwards. im aware my saddle could well make a big differenct to him!

 

[samp]

Before you decide to sell, get your saddle checked as this could cause resist to collect etc. To colect they really need to lift their back and if there is any tightness here you are not going to acheive the desired effect

 

[filly190]

I suppose your decision whether to keep him depends on time and money and if you want to go further with this particular horse.

 

[JoBo]

Yes I would definitely get the saddle checked out before decided on anything.

However I know how you feel as I have just sold my boy Otto due to him not being able to reach the level I was hoping for, infact it was more that he doesn’t have the attitude for it.

 

[Tierra]

Always great when everyone tells you different things isnt it

Personally, Id take the opportunity with winter being here (and the market being slow anyway) to give him the benefit of the doubt. Get the saddle sorted firstly. While its incredibly disheartening to be replacing saddles continuously, there are a few options now of adjustable saddles to suit most budgets. I personally have the wow dressage and my horse is now still muscling up after a year - but I can tweak the saddle continuously to make sure its a fabulous fit.

Secondly, Id consider a completly new trainer. If you feel like you've hit a brick wall, then a change maybe good. If you want something different from the horse, then you may need to be riding him differently. Most horses are capable of some degree of collection. While conformation tends to play a part later on, he should easily be able to collect to the degree required for elementary level. Whats more, once you have "clicked" and started to get that collection, you may find he has more ability than you initially thought and you might whizz on higher than elementary level

When you say your current trainer is asking you to slow down more, do you mean they're bringing the work back to walk and trot or asking you to slow down within the gait?

 

[KatB]

Sounds like your trainer is along the rights lines!! The horse has to work in a rhythm to be truly forward and active anyway. Don't get forwardness muddled with speed.

What does she/he think of your horse?

 

[Sags_Deer]

slow down within trot more than other paces to allow him to work longer lower and swing through

 

[the watcher]

he sounds lovely and I don't know why changing horse has even entered your head..is your instructor suggesting he isn't up to it?

 

[Tierra]

Ok, so when you describe that he has issues with his collection, do you struggle to get him sat back onto his haunches and moving into a light contact? Hows he feeling when you ride him?

Im always slightly warey when trainers encourage lots of long and low as sometimes this results in a horse being pushed onto his forehand and just makes them heavy into the hand and completly unconnected through their backs. Long and low can be of benefit, but it depends how its being ridden and its a confusing term in my opinion.

Is your trainer a dressage type person? And if so what does they think of the horse?

 

[MillionDollar]

IMO you should stick with him! AND invest in a WOW saddle!

Then you can keep the saddle for every horse you have and when he changes shape you can change the saddle. Honestly a WOW saddle will make a HUGE difference, i ve not got one myself but my friend has just brought one- when she tried it i could not believe the difference it made.
I really want one and i am going to get one sometime but at the moment i can't afford it!
Please look into it though, or even get one of the WOW saddle fitters to come out- they let you ride in them.